British tourist feared dead following Thai nightclub fire

A British tourist is feared dead after a fire broke out in a Thai nightclub.

Michael Tzouvanni, inset, has not been seen since the fire at the Tiger Discothèque in PhuketPhoto: AP/PA

By Rose Troup Buchanan

5:30PM BST 20 Aug 2012

Michael Tzouvanni, 24, has not been seen since the fire broke out in the early hours of Friday morning at the nightclub Tiger Discothèque on the popular tourist island of Phuket.

Four bodies have been recovered from the fire. Thai authorities have taken the bodies to Bangkok to identify the individuals through forensic tests.

Today his family have stated they fear the worst, and were "mourning his death".

His brother Joseph Tzouvanni flew out to Thailand last week in an attempt to locate him. During a press conference in Phuket on Sunday he said that Mr Tzouvanni had phoned a friend on Friday at around 4am local time.

Sounding calm Mr Tzouvanni had stated there was a fire in the background and he was unable to escape.

The four bodies were found on a dance balcony above a large dance floor.

The remains of a mobile telephone were also discovered near the bodies. It is believed that the four individuals were trapped by the flames and were unable to escape.

Police are yet to formally identify the four individuals, believed to be two men and two women, and officers are thought to be currently investigating the disappearance of another three individuals. Several people were also injured in the blaze.

Mr Tzvounni's brother Joseph has given investigators DNA samples in order to aid the identification of the bodies. DNA results have not yet come back, however, one of the bodies was found with a ring which Mr Tzouvanni was known to have worn.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, after initial suspicions of a lightning strike causing an electrical error have been rule out.